I! Cleaner!

"After your performance is over, you can leave, but she is the female lead in 'Twelve Days' Journey' and must stay!"

"Not... do you really have to finish this play?"

"Of course!"

After hearing Leon's words, "Master Wilde" obstinately said,

"Even a bad play is better than one that gets stopped midway! Once my drama begins, no matter what happens in between, it can't stop!"

"But can you really keep this play going?"

Pointing towards the direction of the tavern, Leon reminded this "single-minded master,"

"Although I haven't seen this play, if I'm not mistaken, the scene that just happened was meant to get the male and female leads into some trouble together, quickly bringing them closer, so the invitation for 'Twelve Days' Journey' can be justified.

Now that I saved Agatha, your male lead spoke up, but all he really did was take a beating. Your play has been disrupted, is there any point in continuing?"

"It is very necessary! As for how to continue, it's not for you, a troublesome guest, to worry about!"

After glaring at Leon in frustration, "Master Wilde" coldly dismissed him,

"Besides, since you were a ticket-buying spectator of my play, I won't hold this disruption against you, but from now on, you are not welcome to see any of my plays. My Morning Star Troupe and I do not welcome you!"

"..."

So, there's no room for negotiation?

After hearing "Master Wilde's" words, Leon looked at the strange door that suddenly appeared out of thin air, labeled as an exit, and couldn't help but sigh again.

It was impossible to leave the princess behind. Although up till now, the [Drama King] had shown no intent to harm and seemed willing to communicate, inspiring hope for a resolution through "negotiation," it still was an Anomalous Object. No matter how trustworthy it seemed, it couldn't be fully trusted.

Furthermore, it was already on the brink of losing control, or else it wouldn't have snapped and trapped thousands over a critic's taunt. If the play didn't end well, who knew what extreme actions it might take.

Moreover, he was still a Cleaner, responsible for handling rogue Anomalous Objects, and capturing this "Master Wilde" to turn over to the Bureau. There seemed to be nothing to negotiate from this perspective; perhaps he was overthinking it...

"Since you don't want to leave, then why not just stay!"

With patience running thin after waiting a while, and not seeing Leon heading for the exit, "Master Wilde" coldly snorted, shut the door to the outside world, and waved him away like a fly, saying with disgust,

"Although I don't know why you are immune to my control, I am the Creator of this world, and have various ways to deal with you... go lie at the bottom of the sea!" Before 'Twelve Days' Journey' concludes, do not appear in this city!"

With "Master Wilde's" order, the world around Leon quickly distorted, instantly moving over tens of kilometers. The clean, empty street from a second ago transformed into a vast, dark ocean.

Strangely, though the world around Leon visibly changed, when he took a step on the seabed, he inexplicably returned to his original place, standing once more on the deep teal streets of the town as if nothing had changed.

What's going on? I am the Creator of this world, capable of replacing the sun with the moon! Why can't I move a supporting character?!

...

Thanks to [Materialism]! If I can escape safely this time, you'll be the MVP without a doubt!

Of course, Leon kept to himself why he was immune to displacement. After glancing at the radiant crimson Badge in his panel, his mouth curled slightly upward, then he looked up at the [Drama King], offering a meaningful evaluation,

"Not even understanding your own Created world, maybe that drama critic was right; you don't really grasp theater."

?!!

Surprised by the sudden taunt, it took "Master Wilde" a moment to react to what Leon said, and then his anger flared, as he scowled and shouted,

"You're spouting..."

"Do you remember what I did just now?"

Pointing towards the tavern again, Leon earnestly (and deceptively) explained,

"In your original script, my character, after showing cowardice and highlighting the lead Elijah's bravery, could already exit, naturally to be kicked out at will.

But now, things have changed, just having saved Agatha, and if this play had an audience, at least half would already have their attention on me and Agatha as she leaves. If you dumped me in the sea now, could you still continue your play?

For this theatrical world, a complete structure, rationality, and theatricality are fundamental rules to abide by, and a character as significant as myself, saving the heroine wisely and cleverly just a second ago, suddenly disappearing without explanation—does that stick to the rules of the theatrical world?"

"..."

It seems... that could indeed be the reason? But... but after all, I'm the author?

After hearing Leon's seemingly logical nonsense, "Master Wilde," although feeling something was off, couldn't think of any other reasonable explanation, and resorted to arguing,

"Without you... it truly wouldn't be complete, but I'm the Creator of this world, and even the 'Twelve Days' Journey' script is penned by me, so..."

"You're just a scriptwriter, what do you know of 'Twelve Days' Journey'?"

Through this conversation, roughly estimating the IQ and EQ of the [Drama King], and realizing that in intelligence and emotional intelligence, it slightly lagged behind the average human level, Leon squinted slightly before intensifying his bold bluffing,

"In any case, after that commotion at the tavern, I've successfully joined the 'Twelve Days' Journey' storyline, and you can't just erase me. Even as the Creator of this world, you can't largely violate the theatrical world's rules. Now you can't do anything about me; the only thing you can do is silently accept my presence!"

"Damn it! Don't you dare!"

Perhaps believing in Leon's nonsense or unwilling to let flaws linger that couldn't be fixed within his masterpiece, "Master Wilde" hesitated a bit before really not trying to write Leon out of the plot, instead biting the bullet and accepting his existence.

"Just you wait, I'm going back now to rewrite the later acts!"

Looking at the bastard who disrupted his play and even instigated the provocation, the furious "Master Wilde" trembled with rage, exclaiming,

"Don't think that getting a little part means you can replace me as the controller of the theatrical world. You, a half-baked outsider, can't write a script more beloved by the audience than mine!

Once I complete the new plot, by the second... at the latest the first scene of the third act, I'll be able to completely rid you of my world!"

"..."

Wait! Whether or not I'll be kicked out is one thing... but what's this replacement idea with controlling the theatrical world?

After hearing "Master Wilde's" harsh threat, Leon wasn't angered; instead, his controlled expression slightly raised an eyebrow, with a contemplative look emerging in his eyes.

Listening to what he said... could it be that by completely disrupting the original plot and rewriting it to be more popular with the audience than his original script, one could become the new controller of the theatrical world?